Northern Rivers Flood Recovery, NSW

The Challenge

In response to the devastating Northern Rivers floods of early 2022, the NSW Government initiated the Northern Rivers Flood Recovery Project to deliver temporary housing and essential community infrastructure across five locations: Lismore, Coraki, Evans Head and two sites in Brunswick Heads.

Overseen by the NSW Department of Public Works and constructed by Lipman, the program was established to provide safe, functional environments that support displaced residents as they rebuild their lives. Alongside temporary accommodation, each site required well-considered open space areas that could support daily living, social connection and accessibility for residents of all ages and abilities.

Lipman sought a supplier capable of delivering a complete, coordinated suite of outdoor park products — including shade shelters, street furniture and park amenities — within tight timeframes and with consistent quality across multiple sites. A single-source solution was critical to ensure cohesion, reliability and streamlined delivery.

The Solution

GX Outdoors provided a fully integrated park solution for the open space precincts, beginning with large coverage Akora Shelters to create generous, weather-protected communal areas. With the flexibility to manufacture shelters to extended lengths, structures up to 24 metres long were supplied to accommodate high resident numbers and shared activities.

Installation efficiency was a key consideration. GX Outdoors shelters are engineered to minimise on-site labour and reduce reliance on heavy machinery — supporting faster installation and lower project costs. See a real-world example of a two-person crew completing a shelter installation in just three hours below. 

Beneath the shelters, wheelchair-accessible Atessa Table Settings and Contour BBQs were installed to create fully DDA-compliant cooking and dining spaces, ensuring all residents can participate equally in everyday social life.

To complete each precinct, Atessa Bin Enclosures, Atessa Bench Seats and Citistyle Hoop Bike Racks were supplied, forming practical, durable and cohesive outdoor environments that support cleanliness, comfort and active transport. Together, these coordinated elements deliver functional, inclusive open spaces that complement the temporary housing facilities and provide residents with places to gather, rest and connect during recovery.

Designing Parks in Flood-Prone Areas 

The Northern Rivers Flood Recovery Project focused on creating functional, accessible communal areas within temporary accommodation sites - places for cooking, sitting and day-to-day connection while communities rebuilt. For long-term public parks in flood-prone locations, the challenge shifts from short-term provision to designing for rapid recovery after inundation.

Tweed City Council's Budd Park project in Murwillumbah, NSW shows what this looks like in practice: selecting materials that can withstand full water exposure, planning layouts that support wash-down and maintenance access, and using flexible mounting options that integrate with flood-smart hardscapes — all while delivering an inviting, everyday space for a growing community.

Explore the Budd Park project story.